


Pain and Acceptance

by PrincessMekaBunny



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mentions of Death, Romance, Slight OOCness, Vampire!Berkut, Werewolf!Marianne, Wholesome Bernea Family, Witch!Rinea, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-12 04:51:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20985848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessMekaBunny/pseuds/PrincessMekaBunny
Summary: Rinea was a kind woman who only wanted to do good, but when the villagers discovered she was a witch, she was forced to flee for her life. She hid herself away in the forest, until the day Count Berkut heard tale of a maiden living alone in the woods...





	Pain and Acceptance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DarkieDucessa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkieDucessa/gifts).

> Hi everyone~  
Long time since I last posted a fic XD  
This was made for a dear sweet friend of mine, based off of some fanart we saw from fuzzdropsbears (on Instagram)~
> 
> Anywhoo, hope you all enjoy as much as she did~
> 
> Credit to DarkieDucessa for the summary too <3

“Burn the witch! Burn her at the stake!” the crowd chanted; their pitchforks raised high and their torches ablaze. Rinea ran as fast as she could from the pursuing villagers, leaving a trail of tears in her wake. All she wanted to do was help people, she didn’t have a cruel enough heart to let them suffer. She knew the risks, but she placed her faith in the villagers. That faith, however, seemed to be misplaced.

It started off small and innocent. She saw an orphan on the street who was begging for food. She told the child that she would return momentarily, and when she did, she had a bag full of bread that would last the orphan for a long time.

Then, on another day, she helped an elderly man to his home. His bones were causing him great pain so she used some special ointment to take away the pain. The man was thankful and praised her, saying that her cure was almost like magic. That was the moment Rinea knew she was playing with fire. But the more the villagers suffered, the more she felt inclined to help.

It wasn’t until one day, when the lands were extremely dry and the farmers were complaining they wouldn’t have crops for the upcoming fall, when things took a turn for the worse. Everyone was so grim and anxious that Rinea felt she had to do something. She encouraged the villagers to look towards the future, that tomorrow might bring the answers they have been looking for. Then, that night, she cast a spell to bring a raincloud to the village.

Of course, at first, the villagers were overjoyed by the sudden rainfall and celebrated. But then paranoia began to overcome them. The began to piece together all of the “miracles” Rinea had brought to the village and dubbed her as a witch. As soon as the label had been cast upon her, they began to call for her blood, completely ignoring all of the deeds she done as if they were nothing.

Fear ruled their minds, and the only way to settle it was for her to burn.

Rinea had never felt more betrayed in her life. Not one single villager stuck up for her. Was it from fear that they’d be executed too or because their view of her had changed as well? She didn’t know, but deep within her heart she had hoped there would at least be someone who would’ve accepted her.

For now though, she had to focus on running, to escape from the villagers and to save her life.

She managed to flee into the woods, far away from the town. Using the various trees and bushes as cover, she eluded the searching villagers. It took a while but eventually, they gave up their hunt and left the words empty handed. There was talk about burning down the forest in hopes that the flames would take the witch with it but it didn’t go any further than just that.

Rinea found herself in a desperate situation. She couldn’t return back to her home or else they’ll hunt her again once more. Chances were, in order to satiate their bloodthirst and dissatisfaction, the villagers would probably burn down her home once they return.

She couldn’t move onto another town either. Word will spread about her identity so any town she chose to find home in would only be temporary until the hunt began anew. Plus… she didn’t trust herself. She knew she would make the same mistakes once more. She envisioned people being in trouble and never in any of those visions did she picture herself ignoring them.

No… the best course of action for her was to live in the forest as a means of safety. She dreaded the thought of it, but it was either live with the protection of the forest or live in fear out in the open. She just had to make the best of it.

***

Life in the woods wasn’t as bad as Rinea had expected. She found the area to be quite lovely when day broke out. Morning dew glistened off of the various leaves and plant life, birds tweeted with carefree joy, it was actually quite blissful. Rinea made herself a home using what she could from the forest. It wasn’t very luxurious, but it kept her warm and comfortable. It’s all she could ever ask for.

She made friends with the various animals that lived in the area with her. She knew each of them by name; ones that she had given them. Despite these creatures, she couldn’t help but feel lonely. There was so much she missed about civilization, such as the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning from her favourite baker or seeing the smiles on small children as they played in the streets.

Her loneliness only intensified one day when she saw a young-looking person donning light armour come stumbling through the woods. It appeared as if he was lost. Rinea hesitated for a moment, reminding herself of how the others treated her. She would expose herself and everything she had built just for the sake of helping out one person. But upon hearing the cries of distressful woes of the person, she made herself known and offered to help.

Much to her surprise, the armour-clad person didn’t recognize her. She thought rumours would spread about a witch living in a woods after the incident in the village but apparently they hadn’t. Or, if they had, this person hadn’t heard of them.

He began to explain he works for the lord of a kingdom and on his way back from delivering invitations for a royal ball being held he got lost. Rinea couldn’t help but giggle at the man’s plight. This was the first bit of contact she’s had with another person in a long while and she just found it cute and hilarious that it was all because of an accident.

To make up for embarrassing the man, she escorted the man to the edge of the woods and sent him off of his way. She had hoped he would stay, at least for a little while, but she realized he had a job that needed to be done and she would only distract him from it and potentially cause him to be punished.

As she watched him travel back home, she felt her loneliness intensify even more. Seeing him was just a reminder of what she was missing out on. She pondered if things would be fine if she did move somewhere else, but then she only reminded herself of her nature and what things could end up like once again. No, she convinced herself she was fine being alone in the woods. She’ll just have to settle and hope that other travellers will find themselves lost in her woods.

***

“Did you deliver invitations to every maiden in the surrounding villages?”

“Yes milord. Er… except for one.”

“Oh?”

“There was one that did not live in a village. Rather, she lived in a forest. I assume she’s alone.”

“A forest you say?”

“Yes milord. I had a couple of spare invitations but I did not believe she was worth your time.”

“And why is that?”

“Er… well… you see… her clothing was torn and dirty. She would stick out like a sore thumb.”

“I see… Hmm…” A smile began to spread across his face. “Go. Find her again and invite her.”

“Milord? Not to question your motives but what of her… condition.”

“Oh, I’ll make arrangements about that Fernand, don’t you worry. But tell me, have you ever heard of the phrase, ‘A Diamond In The Rough’?”

***

Rinea could hear twigs snapping in the distance. Her heart began to soar, thinking it could be yet another person lost in her woods. When she went to investigate, she found that it was the same person that she had helped before. This time, however, he had a horse with him and supplies. This surprised her as most people on horseback would travel the dirt roads and not venture into the woods at all.

“Are you perhaps lost once more?” Rinea asked, as she presented herself in front of him.

“Nay,” he said, shaking his head. “I came here looking for you.”

“Me?” she asked, stunned by his response. Even more to her shock, he stepped forward and presented her with an envelope that was beautifully embroidered and with a “B” on the front. She looked down at the envelope with bewilderment then looked back up at the man. “Is that… for me?”

“Yes, it is milady. The Count would like you to attend his royal gala in two weeks time.”

“M-m-me?” she stammered, unable to believe his words. “Wh- why would the Count want me to attend his ball?”

“He wanted to thank you for helping me the other day. He insisted I return and bestow this invitation upon you.”

“It’s- it’s really nothing. I’m glad to have helped. I don’t need to be rewarded.” Rinea replied back, feeling embarrassed. She looked down at the ground and began shuffling her feet. “It’s- it’s not like I can go anyways. I have nothing to wear and no way of getting there. You’ll have to give him my sincerest apologies.”

“He already thought of that.” The man opened the sacks of supplies and pulled out a long blue and white gown, one that looked similar to the one that Rinea was wearing except it was a lot fancier; it was longer and had a lot more details on it as well. It was as if it was a dress made for a princess!

Rinea’s eyes went wide with disbelief. She turned to the man for confirmation and he smiled at her. “The Count truly wants you to attend his ball. As such, he entrusted me everything you need. This dress, along with matching shoes and accessories are all yours. We will even lend you this horse so that you needn’t walk all the way there. If you still are firm in not attending, then please at least accept these tokens of our gratitude.”

“B-but- this is all too much! I- I really can’t accept all of this.”

“Please,” the man stepped forward and gently placed the dress in her arms. “the Count would be oh so disappointed if I came back with my arms full. He specially ordered this just for you. It would pale in comparison to anyone else.”

“Really? J-just for me…?” Rinea looked down at the dress. She could feel tears well up in her eyes, being moved by the kindness that was shown to her. This was the first time in her life someone showed her such kindness, and this was from a Count nonetheless!

He placed the invitation on top of the dress and smiled at her. “Please, think it over once more and reconsider. I shall bid you adieu for the time being.”

With one final bow, the man left the woods, leaving Rinea alone once more but this time with a beautiful gown, expensive jewelry, and a horse as well.

Rinea looked down at the invitation that laid upon the gown. She still had reservations about attending the ball. What if some of the villagers were there and revealed her secret? What would the lord think if he knew she was a witch? Plus, would she be able to attend the ball, socialize with others, then return back to her life once more? Or would it just increase her feelings of loneliness even more?

***

Count Berkut stood atop of the balcony, carefully eyeing all of the ladies down below on the main floor as they socialized and danced. To him, they all looked lovely and vibrant, so full of youthful energy, which was exactly how he hoped they’d be.

“Milord,” Fernand stated as he joined the Count’s side. “Do you see any that are of your refined taste?”

“Taste?” Berkut couldn’t help but follow up the question with a chuckle. “What an interesting choice of words. But I am unsure as of yet. Has the one you mentioned that lives in the forest arrived yet?”

“I’m afraid not milord. I have not heard word either if she is on her way or not.”

“A shame, truly.” Berkut said as he returned to gazing over the balcony. “I was very interested to see what type of woman she was like.”

***

Rinea stared up at the large castle as the horse approached the entrance. Never in her life had she seen something so grand, so luxurious. She felt as if a witch like her was out of place. However, she looked down at her gown and remembered why she decided to attend. It may end up causing her pain in the future, but she wanted to thank the Count for his gifts in person. He sounded like an honest and thoughtful man, and to just accept gifts without a heartfelt thank you didn’t sit right with her.

She didn’t need to stay long either. All she needed to do was return the horse, thank the Count for his kindness, and then leave if she wanted to. This way, she wouldn’t grow so attached to others and could return to her life in peace. She could look back on the experience and say “I’m glad I got to see it at least once.” rather than long for more if she was in control of the situation.

She showed the guard at the entrance her invitation and handed back the horse as well after she explained the situation. The guard happily escorted her over to the large set of double doors that led to the main ballroom and told her the Count was inside with the rest of his guests.

Rinea took a deep breath, summoned all of her courage, and pushed the doors wide open.

***

Count Berkut watched curiously as the set of doors swung open. His gaze immediately focused on the blue-haired maiden standing in the center. There was no doubt about it, it was the Forest Girl he had heard about. Never did he imagine such beauty would come walking through his doors.

On second glance, he noticed something peculiar about her which immediately captivated his interest. Without wasting a moment, he began his descent down the large staircase. All eyes immediately fixated on him and all the ladies came rushing over to him, trying to gain his favour. However, he walked through the crowd, acting as if they weren’t even there, and continued towards the Forest Girl.

As soon as he approached her, he took her hand and knelt down before her, pressing his lips against the back of her hand which made her blush in embarrassment. He looked up at her and smiled. “Greetings my fair lady, I am Count Berkut. I thank you for attending my royal ball this evening.”

“M-my lord.” Rinea stammered, being at a loss for words. “I n-no, th-thank you for inviting me! It’s umm, it’s a pleasure. I’m umm… my name is Rinea.”

“Rinea, such a lovely name.” Berkut stood up and looked deep into Rinea’s eyes. “Tell me Rinea, do you dance?”

“Dance? I mean… I do… but surely you’d wanna dance with someone else.”

“Nonsense.” Berkut said with a sincere smile which made Rinea’s heart a flutter. “There’s no one I’d rather dance with in this moment than you. Come.”

Berkut signalled at the musicians to play a special song. It was slow paced, one that was perfect for couples to dance to. Berkut locked his fingers with Rinea’s and the two began swaying to the rhythm. Forward, side, back, side, neither of them missed a step. If one hadn’t known any better, one would say that they’d been dancing together for years. Their movements were so natural, so fluid. It was as if they were the perfect partner for each other.

Rinea began to lose herself in the moment, feeling a bliss she’d never felt before. If there was one thing she loved to do in the world, it was to dance. In that moment, she forgot all of her troubles, all of her worries, and she just felt like herself. The entire world disappeared around her and all that remained was her and the Count. The soft and gentle touch of his hands only intensified this feeling.

She looked up at the Count and smiled at him. Seeing his warm smile only made her heart beat even more rapidly. She wondered if this is what people felt when they were attracted to someone. She didn’t know, but she didn’t want to focus on that thought. Rather, she cast it aside for the time being and focused more on enjoying the time dancing.

The music began to die down, much to both of their displeasure, which also meant their dance was as well. However, even though they weren’t dancing anymore, their grasp on each other didn’t break. Rinea didn’t want him to let go and wanted to savour each second she had with him. Berkut, on the other hand, had something else in mind but before he could act, Rinea spoke to him.

“My lord, thank you for a wonderful dance. That… that was a lot of fun.”

“I should be the one thanking you.” he replied with a smile. “You are quite the excellent dancer. One could say your steps were almost, magical, wouldn’t you say?”

At that moment, a sense of shock shot through Rinea. She began to panic, wondering if she had been found out already. Perhaps this was all a ruse to trap her? She didn’t know, but she had to flee before things escalated any further.

“I’m sorry milord, but I must-”

Rinea tried to escape, but the count wouldn’t let go of her hand. She examined his hand, then back at him. The expression on his face was a soft but sincere one, which surprised her.

“Please, don’t leave just yet. I have something I must show you.”

She looked back down at the hand once again, feeling torn. She felt like she could trust the Count, but then again, she had misplaced her trust once before.

Sensing her hesitation, Count Berkut let go of her hand, as if to say that she was free to do what she wanted and that he wouldn’t force her. But to prove his sincerity, he said, “You are safe, I swear on my lands that I mean you no harm.”

Rinea examined the Count once more, and despite her anxieties, she decided to place her faith in him. She took his hand and smiled at him, with a small but nervous smile. “I trust you milord.”

Count Berkut’s smile grew even wider, feeling delighted and relieved. He led her up the large staircase and onto the balcony. He dismissed Fernand from his position so that the two of them would be alone. Once he was sure that no one was looking, he began showing her what he wanted her to see.

His eyes began changing colour the red of one’s blood, his skin became paler than an average person’s, and when he flashed his smile at her, she noticed a couple of his teeth grew longer, almost fang-like.

She gasped at the sudden sight, being taken by surprise by the revelation of the Count’s new form, but that’s as far as it went. She had heard of people like this once before. They say that there are creatures that look human who dwell in the night, who feast upon the blood of humans and can shapeshift into that of a bat. The word most commonly used for this creature was “Vampire”.

She thought creatures such as vampires were merely a folktale, something to spook children or travellers. But the Count standing in front of her was proof that it was more than just that. Then again, one would say the same thing about Witches. That was why though Rinea wasn’t scared at all by Count Berkut’s transformation. It would be hypocritical of her to judge him when she, herself, was one of these creatures.

“You are not alarmed by my appearance?”

Rinea shook her head. Once the initial shock died down, she actually found his appearance charming. There was a certain ease and gentleness in his expression that made her think that this was his true self. “No milord. In fact, it makes me happy that you showed me.”

She couldn’t explain it, but seeing the Count in this form gave her a sense of comfort. It was almost like she wasn’t alone in the world. Feeling this way, it made her smile which in turn, made Berkut smile as well.

“I am truly grateful for that. Most people would cower in fear once they discover what we truly are after all, so I’m glad you’re not like them.”

“Excuse me milord, did you say ‘we’?”

Berkut nodded. “My apologies Rinea, but I possess an ability that lets me see the blood inside another living being. However, in my time I’ve come to recognize the differences between the blood in humans and the blood in others. As soon as you stepped through that door, I knew that you were that of a witch.”

“I- I see..” Rinea looked down at the ground, feeling embarrassed, but it wasn’t a negative type. No, in fact, she was elated since that meant the moment the two of them shared together was even more special since he knew what she was deep down inside and still wanted to dance with her. “That makes me really happy.”

Berkut couldn’t help but smile, finding Rinea’s shy sincerity adorable. He could feel his heart race the more he looked at her. However, he realized something which caused it to slow down temporarily while he explained. “Rinea, before we go any further, I must speak the truth to you.”

“What would that be?”

“I find you enchanting, truly. However, I am a monster.” Berkut looked down at his hands, which were trembling with anxiety. “You see, my kind needs human blood to survive. We can go days without it, but eventually we reach the point where our bloodlust becomes uncontrollable and we feast upon the first person we see.”

Rinea felt sorrow for the Count. She couldn’t say she understood the struggle he was going through since she’s always had control of her powers. However, this didn’t deter her from showing sympathy to his plight. She stepped forward and placed a hand on his to try and ease him. “Milord, I don’t think you’re a monster for that.”

“No, you don’t understand.” Berkut let out a sigh as he prepared himself to come clean. “The fact is, this is a part of my life so I’ve had no choice but to accept it. One could even say, I’ve come to enjoy it. The scream of anguish when my fangs sink deep into their neck, the sweetness of the iron in the blood as it trickles down my tongue, the leftover blood that surrounds my lips as drips down my face. It’s a pleasure of mine.

In fact, this whole ball was disguised as a buffet for me. I know each and every one of these maiden’s living quarters but I wanted to assess their blood and find the sweetest blood to feast upon tonight, and to plan out for the months ahead.

But… never did I think I would find something, or rather someone, much more enchanting this evening.”

A flurry of emotions flowed inside Rinea’s mind. She didn’t know what to make of the Count’s words. There was one thing she was sure of, however. The Count was assuredly in pain. She had seen the look of anguish on her face many times before when she gazed at herself in the river when she washed herself. She could tell he was lonely and he was scared. He was showing his most vulnerable side to her and now he was waiting to see how Rinea would react.

“Milord,” Rinea leaned in and wrapped her arms around the Count’s body, pulling him into a warm embrace. She didn’t exactly agree with him liking to hurt humans, but she accepted that about him. After all, he accepted her immediately when he found out she was a witch so what type of person would she be if she didn’t accept that about him? She wanted to accept him, all of him. “You are not a monster.”

Berkut began to tense up. Being accepted for who he is… it was all too new to him. Everyone would scream and run away whenever he showed his true self. For the longest time, despite all of his servants and soldiers, he felt so lonely. Even to have his sins accepted by someone else, even when he himself hasn’t accepted it, it felt like it was too much for him, something he felt he didn’t deserve.

“Do you… do you truly believe that Rinea?”

“I do my lord.”

Tears began to well up in both of their eyes. They both felt a happiness they had never felt before. They were being accepted by someone else for who they were. No rejection, no running away. Berkut felt like he could be his true self around Rinea and Rinea felt safe in his presence. In a way, they were sharing each other’s pain, but at the same time, by sharing that pain, it also felt like it was disappearing.

Berkut turned around and began to return the embrace that Rinea had around him. “Rinea, will you stay by my side?”

“I will my lord. I’ll remain by your side forever!” she replied with glee, causing Berkut’s tears to flow even more than they were.

“Then I shall pledge to stay by yours as well.”

***

Over the months, Berkut and Rinea got to know each other better. They told each other the experiences they’ve had over the course of their lives and helped one another conquer the pain that they felt. Just because they were together doesn’t mean the pain went away instanteously, but with the support they gave each other, it made the process a lot easier.

It wasn’t long before the two wed and Rinea became the Countess of the land. Some didn’t accept her right away and protested that some woodsgirl had no right to the Count’s heart, let alone to be a co-ruler. However, anyone that protested mysteriously disappeared one by one, until no one was left or too scared to protest. Rumour had it that one body was found with their blood drained from their body and a couple of holes in the necks.

No one dared question the Count or Countess after that point. Rumour spread around that the Count had hired a vampire to serve under his command to silence anyone he wanted, but everyone was too scared to act upon said rumours and figured they’d be better to just carry on with their lives.

***

One day, word reached the Countess of a village’s residents mysteriously disappearing one by one. The villagers were too scared to live in their homes anymore and fled throughout the country, but it appeared as if no matter where they went, they would still disappear. Some of them came to the Count and Countess asking for help. At first, the Count denied their request and immediately banished them from the castle. However, they were persistent and instead, waited to ask the Countess for help when she was alone. They had heard that she was one who held a kind heart and wouldn’t deny any request when asked.

When she heard of the name of the village that had been experiencing these troubles, she told the villagers that she will see what she could do and went to talk to the Count.

“Milord,” Rinea said as she curtsied in front of him. “Those villagers that came to ask us for help… I don’t mean to accuse you but are you the one that’s causing them such strife?”

Berkut pondered his answer for a moment. He considered lying to Rinea to spare her feelings on the topic, knowing full well she would believe him the first time and never question him again. But looking into those wide blue eyes of hers made him feel guilty for even considering the thought. As such, he nodded at her, confirming her suspicions.

“May I ask why my lord?”

Berkut rose from his throne and descended down so he was standing in front of Rinea. He took her hands and looked deeply into her eyes, speaking as honestly as he could. “Rinea, do you remember when you told me that all of the villagers you helped turned against you and tried to burn you?”

She nodded in response.

“Well, ever since that day, I’ve been considering what to do to make them pay for trying to hurt you. I considered using my power and make their lives miserable. However, I thought of a more productive punishment. I have to feast upon humans anyways in order to survive. I know you don’t approve of me feasting upon innocent blood so I thought I would feast upon them instead, at least until the supply runs dry and I have to return to my old ways.”

Rinea remained silent for a moment, thinking about the Count’s words and how she felt about them.

“I understand if you don’t approve, and I can stop if you’d like me to. But just know, I did this for you. I can’t bear the thought for even a moment of someone trying to hurt you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Rinea understood the Count’s motives. She had to admit, despite what the villagers tried to do to her, she at one point had a bond with them. The thought of them suffering made her heart weep. Then, when she reflected some more, she realized that they had no qualms burning her alive despite all the help she provided.

She turned to Berkut and smiled at him. “I’ll tell the guards to imprison the villagers for disobeying your orders. They’ll be easier for you to find when you’re hungry!”

Berkut couldn’t help but smile as he felt himself fall in love with his wife even more. “You are too good for me Rinea.”

“And you are too good for me milord.”

***

A few months later, a young woman was brought before the Count and Countess on the charges that she had killed the livestock of a farmer the previous night. Rinea immediately recognized the woman as the orphan she had helped out in her old village. She looked even more run down and ragged than she was before. There was a gloomy expression on her face which did not waver in the presence of the Count and Countess.

“Do you deny these accusations?” Fernand imposed on her. He was only met with silence and when he pushed further, all he got was a weak “No.” as a response.

Berkut and Rinea looked at each other, both of their expressions communicating that they had the same thought. They asked Fernand to escort the girl to the hall while the two talked over in private.

“You noticed it too, right milord?”

“I did indeed. That girl is like us, one whose blood isn’t human.”

“What will we do about it?”

Berkut pondered the thought for a moment before coming up with an idea. “Let’s question her alone for the time being. I wish to know more about her before making a judgement.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

Count Berkut called for Fernand to escort the girl back in. Once she was kneeling in front of their thrones, they dismissed Fernand despite his objections. He worried for their safety in front of a criminal but they assured him that they would be fine.

“Do you… do you wish to put me to death milords?” the young woman asked in a defeated tone.

“We shall see,” Berkut replied. “We wish to ask you a few questions first.”

“One moment please,” Rinea pulled out a handkerchief from underneath her sleeve and approached the girl. She took the piece of cloth and began wiping away the dirt from her cheeks, as the sight of it was too much for her kind heart to bear. “There you go, that looks better. Do you recognize me?”

The girl looked up and her eyes widened when she realized who the Countess was. “You’re… you’re the kind woman who gave me that bag of bread!”

Rinea nodded and smiled at her. “That’s right. Will you please kindly answer our questions with the utmost honesty for us?”

The girl hesitated for a moment, then nodded just after she looked between them.

“Excellent. Milord, if you’d please.”

“How much control do you have over your powers?” Berkut asked bluntly, taking the girl by surprise. The waited for a moment for her answer before Berkut spoke again. “We know what you are and we’d like to help you if you’d let us, but we need to know how much control you have over your powers.”

“Why.” the girl finally spoke. “Why do you want to help me?”

Berkut and Rinea shared a look with each other then nodded. Berkut began transforming in front of the girl so that he showed her his true form; his vampiric self. Rinea, on the other hand, pulled out a wand from underneath her sleeve and spun around above her head, which caused her clothes to change and a pointed hat to appear on her head.

“You see, we’re like you.” Rinea being the first to speak. “The Count and I have blood that is not human. I can control my powers with ease but the Count cannot at times. We’d like to assess the situation properly and see if there’s anything we can do to help.”

The girl looked down at the ground, her face beginning to tense up. She was moved by their kindness but it was hard for her to open up about her true self. The more she thought about it, the more her body began to stiffen, and Rinea and Berkut took note of it. It was easy for them to open up to each other about their true selves but they realized that it probably wasn’t easy for her.

“Beast.” she finally spoke, catching both of their attention. “People call me a beast. I transform every time the moon is full and it makes me go feral. I was abandoned as a child because of it. I’ve tried to seclude myself from everyone so I don’t hurt anyone when I transform. But… last night, I was a little too close to a farm.”

“So you did do it then?” Berkut asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

The girl nodded with tears forming in her eyes.

“But it wasn’t in your control though. You are not at fault.” Rinea continued.

“I am… I’m to blame for everything.” Tears began to flow out of the young woman’s eyes. “Why are you being so kind to me too? I heard what happened at the village. You were chased down and almost killed. I had already moved on when that happened but I could’ve transformed and they could’ve focused on me instead!”

Rinea pulled out the handkerchief once more and approached the girl, trying to dry her tears. “Shhh, it’s okay. I wouldn’t want you to take my place anyways. You don’t deserve to be hunted down.”

“But I do! You were so kind to me and yet I did nothing to pay back your kindness, especially when you needed help the most! I’m to blame and all I deserve is death…”

Rinea’s heart began to weep, feeling sympathy for the girl. She recognized the look of pain and loneliness she had on her face; it reminded her of how herself and Berkut used to be like. She had different blood and was suffering through her own battles, except this time, it didn’t appear she had the strength to carry on anymore.

“Do you… do you truly wish to make it up to me?” Rinea asked the young woman, having one lone thought float throughout her mind.

“If… if you really do want something, I’ll try my best to repay the kindness you showed me…”

“Then why don’t you come live with us and be our daughter?”

Both the woman and Berkut went wide-eyed at the suggestion, not expecting those words to come out of Rinea’s mouth. Rinea turned to Berkut and folded her hands together, pleading to him. “Please milord, she reminds me of us when we first met. She’s lost and alone in this world, and with no parents to call her own. I… I feel like we could give her what she needs. A roof over her head, all the food she could ever want, the love she deserves to be showered in, and the acceptance from another that she so desperately needs.”

Berkut rose up and approached Rinea, taking her hands into his and smiling at her. “My dear, this is the first time you’ve ever asked me for anything since we met. How could I say no to such a selfless request as well? I share the same feelings and agree that she would make an excellent daughter.”

“Thank you, milord!” Rinea jumped and cheered, quickly pulling her husband into an embrace which he promptly returned. Then, the two of them approached the girl and knelt down before her, placing their hands on her shoulders.

“What do you say, will you accept our request?” Rinea asked.

“But… but… I’m a beast. I could end up hurting you… Surely, you could do better than me for a daughter…”

“You couldn’t hurt us, even if you tried.” Berkut said with a warm smile. “You underestimate our power. We’ll find a way to make it work.”

“And there’s no one we’d rather have as a child than you.” Rinea continued. “We understand the pain you’re going through. But despite it, we built a bond and was able to help one another and we want to do the same with you too. We’d be proud to call you our daughter, if you accept us.”

“I… I… I accept you!”

The girl looked between the two and began crying once again. This time, it was from a feeling of relief and acceptance. There was still a lot of pain deep down within her, but all she ever wanted was to feel wanted and to have a true family, and that’s exactly what she was getting now.

Both Berkut and Rinea placed a hand on her back as they pulled her into an embrace, letting her cry onto their backs for as long as she needed.

“Shhhh, let it out,” Rinea said as she gently rubbed her back. “Everything will be fine now.”

“Do you have a name?” Berkut asked of the girl. He could feel rubs against his shoulders that felt like she was saying no. “In that case, let’s give you one.”

“Do you have any suggestions milord?” Rinea asked.

Berkut nodded and smiled. “I do. Marianne.”


End file.
